Improvement in railway safety-gates



i 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. H. A. STEARNS. Railway Safety-Gate.

No. 210,642. Patented Dec. 10, 1878.

l P- C g v METERS, PHOTO-UTHYOYGRAVPHER, WASHINGTON. D. C,

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. A. STEARNS. Railway Safety-Gate.

No. 210,642. atented Dec. 10,1878.

65656:- Invenfor:

fl GQQZQ/WJ/ q MNQW UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

HENRY A. STEAENS, OFPAWTUOKET, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO STEPHEN A.JENKS, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN RAILWAY SAFETY-GATES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 210,642, dated December10, 1878; application filed August 15, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY A. STEARNS, of Pawtucket, in the county ofProvidence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Railway Safety-Gates; and 1 do hereby declarethat the My invention relates to railway safety-gates,

such as are described in Letters Patent of the United States No. 194,383granted to me August 21, 1877.

My present invention relates more particu-,

larly to certain improvements in the construction of the gates, wherebytheir operation is rendered more effective.

The invention consists, first, in a self-adj usting device, which. Icall a goose-neck, and which is pivoted to the lower portion of the1101- low gate-post, for the purpose of receiving and guiding the chainsor ropes which connect the gate-bars 011 opposite sides of the track orroad, so that they will operate simultaneously, said goose-neck being soconnected to the post that it turns in a horizontal plane, and therebypermits of the gates being set at any required angle withoutrequirin galterations or the use of any extra castings.

The invention consists, secondly, in the use of segmentalfriction-bearin gs for the shafts of the gate-arms, said bearings beingof peculiar construction, and arranged to sustain the weight of andrender the gate-bars more easily operated, as hereinafter more fully setforth.

The invention consists, further, in certain combinations of the devicesembodied in the construction of the gate.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation, representinga portion of one of the gate-arms, the post being in section to show theconstruction and arrangement of the operating mechanism arranged withinit. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of the gate-arms and posts,showing the spring-stop device. Fig. 3 is aplan view of the socket-platewhich forms the pivot for the gooseneck. Fig. 4 is a sectional view ofthe goose-neck, showing the position of the pulleys therein. Fig. 5 is aplan view of the goose-neck detached. Fig. 6 is a view of one of thebolts which connect the goose-neck with the socket. Fig. 7 is asectional view of a portion of one of the hollow posts, showing thefriction-bearings for the shaft of the gate-arm. Fig. 8 is a plan viewshowing the construction of the gatearm.

Referring to the parts by letters, A represents one of the hollow posts,made preferably of metal, and fitted with a removable top or cover, A,the whole being water-tight. B represents one of the gate-arms, whichare arranged to swing vertically. The post end of the gate-arm isbifurcated and secured to metal plates or sockets B, which are locatedone on each side of the gate-post, and rigidly connected together bymeans of the shaft 0, which passes through the gate-post, the latterbeing provided with suitable journ al-bearin gs, within which the shaftturns. D D are counterbalance-weights, secured to or forming part of aplate, D, which is adjustably secured to the plate B by means of ascrew-bolt, d, which is passed through an elongated slot, 1), formedthrough the plate B. The plate D is formed with a lateral groove, intowhich the plate B fits. The object of this peculiar construction of thegate-arm and counterbalance-weights is.

to accurately balance the gate-arm-an object which is accomplished withthe greatest accuracy by moving the weights to or from the posts, theslots 1) in the plates B permitting of such adjustment.

()n the inner side of the post A, immediately beneath the shaft 0,segmental bearingplates E are located,one on each side of the post. Thelower ends of these plates E are formed with a circular groove andprojecting bifurcated ends 6, the grooved portion fitting over a stud,F, secured to the side of the post and constituting the pivot upon whichthe bearing E turns or rocks.

ff are stop-pins, arranged one on each side of the bearing, to limit therocking motion of the same.

The shaft 0 of the gate-arm rests upon and in close contact with thesegmental bearings E, the object being to provide frictional bearin gsfor the shaft, and thereby relieve the gate-post, or that portion of itthrough which the shaft passes, from frictional contact with the post,the advantage resulting from this arrangement of the parts being thatthe gatearm swings with much greater ease.

Friction-wheels might be substituted for the bearing-plates E; but Iprefer the latter device, it being more economical and more easilyfitted and replaced if necessary.

I) represents a pivoted support for the gatearm when the latter isclosed or in a horizontal position. IV hen the arm is elevated or swunginto a horizontal position the support assumes the same position,hanging vertically between the bifurcated ends of the arm.

G represents a pulley, which is rigidly secured to the shaft 0, so as toturn with it, though this pulley need not be more than a segment of apulley. As shown by Fig. 1 of the drawings, a portion of the peripheryof the pulley G is notched to receive hooks and nuts 9 g, the threadedportion of the hooks passing through lugs g. The object of thisarrangement of devices is to provide a convenient means for tighteningup the chains or ropes which connect the several gate-arms, and thedesired object is accomplished by screwing up the nuts 9.

H H are guide-pulleys, located in the lower portion of the hollow postA, their function being to guide the operating-chains I I into thegoose-neck, to be hereinafter described.

J is the socket-plate of the goose-neck. It is secured to the lower endof the post A on the outside and formed with an exterior annular flange,j, having an opening, 9", formed through it. It is also formed with aninner annular flange, i, which has a projecting lip, the space leftbetween the two flanges t and j being angular or L-shaped incross-section, as clearly shown in Fig. l of the drawings.

K is the goose-neck proper, its upper portion being provided with aflange which bears against the face of the flange i and fits within theperiphery of the flange j of socket-plate J.

L represents bolts which connect the gooseneck with the socket. As shownby Fig. 6 of the drawings, the head of the bolt is elongated in onedirection, so as to fit the L-shaped form of the groove in thesocket-plate J, and thereby permit of the goose-neck being turned to anyangle in a horizontal plane without becoming disconnected from thesocket-plate. In putting the parts together the c1011 gated boltheadsare passed through the opening j before the nuts are screwed up.

M M are pulleys, located within the gooseneck and journaled on a shaftor bolt, m.

N is a duct or passage through which the connecting chain or chains passbeneath the ground or roadway to connect with the other gate arm orarms. It is secured to the gooseneck K in any suitable manner, and maybe conveniently made from ordinary iron gaspipe, the object being toform a water-tight connection with the goose-neck and post, so that allthe connections are made water-proof, and no water, snow, ice, or otherextraneous matter can get at the operating mechanism or interfere withthe free working of the gate.

0 represents a spring stop or bunter, located on the outside of the postA in proper position, so that the gate-arm, when raised to a verticalposition, will come in contact with its projecting end, as clearly shownby Fig. 2 of the drawings, the object being to break the shock andprevent injury to the parts through any sudden jar caused by the openingof the gate.

In the drawings I have shown a spring inclosed within a cylindricalprojection and coiled around a shaft as a suitable device foraccomplishing this desired result; but, as will be obvious to thoseskilled in the art, a piece of rubber or any other convenient form ofspring may be used in place of the device I have shown.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Let ters Patent, is-

1. The goose-neck K, pivoted to the hollow post A, so as to turn to anydesired angle, in combination with suitable internal mechanism forconnecting and operating the gate-arms, substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

2. The goose-neck K, pivoted to the hollow post A, and arranged tooperate in combination with the pulleys G, H, and M, and the chains orropes I, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination of the pivoted gooseneck K with the hollow watertightpost A and duct N, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. The segmental bearings E, constructed as described, and arranged tooperate in combination with the studs F, stops f, and shaft 0,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

HENRY A. STEARNS.

Witnesses I. E. HAYES, D. F. S'rEARNs.

